One Nation

So many issues, so little time:  The sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War, the Republican obsession with dismantling Planned Parenthood, the budget battle in D.C., and Snooki getting paid $32,000 to speak at Rutgers, listed in no particular order of abhorrence. I have read many interesting articles about each of these issues and admittedly there is little insight I can offer at this point. I can, however, point out that I always find myself on the liberal side of the argument in spite of my so desperately wanting to be a conservative.  I don't meet many dentists who are on the democratic side of the isle.  We tend to be a very self determined lot and we don't like being told how we should conduct our businesses, our lives, nor how best to help people. The problem, as I see it, is that fiscal conservatism and social conservatism have somehow become irreversibly fused and you can't have one without the other in politics today.  In my view social and environmental issues always trump my own myopic financial self interest.  If I could find a candidate who would cut my taxes, provide social services to the poor, and force me to reduce my carbon foot print without impinging on my right to drive to my cabin every weekend in my six cylinder car, why that is change I could believe in.  I jest, of course.  There is no way we are getting out of this mess without raising somebody's taxes somewhere.  And you know that somebody is me since I am a DINK.  So since I am going to get screwed by taxes no matter who is in office I have selflessly chosen to always vote on the issues that are bigger than me, for the greater good.  Thank you.

But seriously, Snooki?  I actually give her a lot of credit.  The same credit I give to Sarah Palin.  Two people who I would venture to guess did not do as well as me in high school.  Yet here I am blogging to all of eight, maybe ten people.  And these two?  They have the attention of the nation.  Good for them.  They came to the edge of the cliff and they leaped.  Every time I step to the edge of the precipice I get dizzy.   They turned fifteen minutes into a career.  That takes talent, or a pit bull like doggedness.  I've had my fifteen minutes.  I want them back.  I applaud anyone who can rise to the top of their field.  The person might not always be likable but the achievement is admirable.

How about those Civil War re-enactors?  I read that the vast majority choose to be rebels.  I don't know if this is true or not but the point of the op-ed piece was to illuminate the fact that for many years it was the losers who most strongly influenced the historical perspective on the reasons for the conflict.  The southern historians framed the debate mostly about states rights, and not slavery.  An argument still very much in favor today on all sorts of issues.  I have always felt it was specifically (or at least mostly) about slavery.  It was one of the few issues that was not satisfactorily resolved during the meetings of the Continental Congress.  Many of them felt it best to leave the issue to future generations of Americans and eventually the Nation would agree on one moral value.

I understand that southerners wish to honor the valor of their forbearers. But let's face it; The establishment of the Confederacy was sedition.  The Stars and Bars was their "national" flag and to fly it, in my mind, is to condone sedition.  I consider honoring this flag unpatriotic to the United States of America.  Whether or not someone who displays the flag is indirectly supporting the idea of slavery will be endlessly debated.  That is a no win argument because they will always claim they are honoring their ancestors, not dishonoring African Americans.  I can almost forgive the sentiment even if I don't agree.  But I see no way out of the idea that the flag represented a desire to split the United States in two.  On this point I can see no justification for still displaying the Confederate flag.  Although I have to admit one thing.  When I was in Alabama a few years ago I almost bought  a key chain and coffee mug emblazoned with the Confederate flag.  I found the state and the people to be very friendly and I wanted a souvenir to remember my visit, I so enjoyed it.  The items seemed kitschy and harmless but my better discretion kicked in and I somewhat disappointedly put them back.  But I will always remember the awesome hush puppies and biscuits and gravy.